Letter from Dorothy Wordsworth, Rydal Mount, to Lady Beaumont, 1834 January 13 : autograph manuscript signed.

Apologizing for her long silence which she explains was due to her poor health; discussing the impending marriage of Miss Southey and expressing her concern for her niece, Dora, who is to be a bridesmaid; saying "Of course Dora is happy in anticipation of her Friend's happiness; but she so dreads the loss of her, and knows so well what a chasm will be left in her Parents' house, that she would have gone off with a sad heart under any circumstances; To spend a few 'last days' with Edith Southey she was obliged abruptly to part from her eldest brother and her cousin Christopher, who had come un-looked-for to see us, and the former is already gone, and the cousin must depart tomorrow to prepare for a commencement of College duties as Greek Lecturer of Undergraduates...Mr. and Mrs. Merewether...will be sorry to hear that we think he has drawn too largely upon his strength during a nine months' residence in Greece, and long pedestrian Travels in Switzerland. He is thin and pale, and his lively spirits are often oppressed by the Scholar's malady, headaches, attended , as I think by something of bilious disorder;" continuing the letter on Wednesday, January 15th; saying she had to put down her letter as she was not feeling well and is now continuing on the day of the wedding; telling her it is a beautiful day and her brother and sister are traveling from Rydal Mount to Greta Hall for the wedding; commenting on the great loss Southey will feel at the loss of Edith from the house but adding that she is sure he will "...make such efforts to hide or to stifle his feelings that the saddest heart among them cannot but be cheared;" comment on how well-loved Mr. Warter is by the family; saying that she had hoped Dora might have been able to go to Leamington after the wedding, but she won't leave her father's side with his deteriorating eyesight; saying she had hopes of visiting Cambridge and Coleorton "...but I now feel that home is likely to be the place for me - and no hardship! for my prison (if we may so call it) is one of hie prettiest and most chearful in England, including what is to be seen from the windows; and I have no bodily oppression but from weakness, with occasional fits of uneasy pain that is not violent;" reminiscing about Whitwick and Coleorton and referring to the "...public anxieties and public cares" of Lady Beaumont's father; saying it is time for her to lay down her pen but that her Brother wishes to add a few words; sending her warmest regards to Sir George and the Merewethers; adding a final paragraph which she dates 'Thursday" saying "Mr. Merewether will be interested in knowing that my nephew John was summoned from us by the Death of his Wife's valuable uncle, Mr. Stanley, Rector of Workington;" adding that Mrs. J.W. Warter [Edith Southey] left us marriage tokens at the foot of the hill, but was so much affected as to be unable to speak to the person who took them in charge."